M3 Month Throwback Thursday Edition: John Gary Williams

Posted by Holly Whitfield |
October 10th 2013
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I love the idea of Throwback Thursday. While I've only really seen the idea on Instagram, I'm reappropriating the concept today for the blog in honor of Memphis' rich music history and Memphis Means Music Month.

Today's Throwback Thursday Memphis singer is John Gary Williams, a Stax recording artist and lead vocalist of the Mad Lads, a 1960s R&B and soul group.

Williams had to take an involuntary hiatus at the height of the Mad Lad's success when he was drafted into the Vietnam War. He weathered other troubles in his personal life for the next several years, but in the last few years he's come back into the soul music scene.

He's performed with a new version of the Mad Lads and has appeared with the Bo-Keys, most recently along with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for their Opus One performance at the Levitt Shell this September.

John Hubbell, a documentary filmmaker, is working to create a film titled "I See Hope" to tell the story of Williams' life in and out of the music scene over the last forty years. They're also working with the singer to put out new and previously unreleased music later this year. You can learn more about the documentary here and hear original Mad Lads music on iTunes.

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Author: Holly Whitfield

I write about what’s going on with Memphis music, food, arts, events, sports, people, and culture. Memphians love Elvis and barbeque with a passion that must be seen to be believed, but there is so much more to this place.